Material conditioner



Oct. 17, 1939. J. EDGE 2, 76,393

MATERIAL CONDITIONER Filed Aug. 30, 1938 Patented Oct. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MATERIAL CONDITIONER Application August 30,

17 Claims.

This invention relates to means for conditioning material such as paper, whether in sheet or roll form, and, more particularly, to an apparatus for preparing paper for printing.

Since the paper utilized seldom arrives with moisture content corresponding to the state of humidity met with in the press room, it would if utilized as received vary in dimensions causing faulty register and curl, cookie, or wave, causing difiiculty in feedingas a result of coming in contact with different atmospheric conditions. To this end, it is usual to treat the paper previous to its arrival in the press room, in an attempt to bring it to the proper stage of moisture before it is fed to the presses; since, otherwise, troubles mentioned above may result.

Such apparatus with which I am familiar simply transfers an amount of water to the sheet without any real regulation of such amount, with the result that the sheet may be either drier or wetter than is desired.

An important object of this invention is the provision of a simple apparatus which will apply a definite amount of water to each unit area of the sheet so that the proper condition may be attained therein.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus of this character in which the amount of water so transferred may be very readily regulated and in which the moistening operation may be rapidly carried out.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawing wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a conditioner embodying my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View showing the press roll drive.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral Ill designates press rolls geared together at Illa rotating about stationary axes, and II companion rolls for the press rolls I 0, each of which is supported upon the swinging arm i2 controlled through a weighted lever system l3 so that the pressure between each roll ill and its companion roll I I may be adjustably regulated.

Trained about the rolls l 0 is a felt I4, and about the rolls H a felt l5, the felts l4 and I5 being each passed about a suction box IE and between a spray pipe I! and an underlying collection tray I8 through which water, or other conditioning liquid, is applied to the felt. The suction box I6 1938, Serial No. 227,565

may be of either the fiat or rotating shell type. For the purpose of illustration the latter is shown, the shell being indicated at I6a. It will be understood however that the term suction roll, where employed, comprehends suction bores or 5 their equivalents. Each of felts l4 and I5 may be equipped with the usual stretchers l9 and guides 20, as in the case of the felts of paper machines.

Felts I4 and I5, after leaving the squeeze rolls l0 and II, are first supplied with an excess of water and then, by passage over suction boxes [6, have a desired amount of this water removed therefrom in a uniform manner. Obviously, the amount of moisture applied to a sheet of paper passed between the felts at rolls in and Il may be controlled in a number of fashions: The pressure between the rolls i0 and H; the number of presses Ill, H which are employed; the amount of water removed by the suction boxes 16; the temperature of the water which is applied to the felts, and the speed of operation of the rolls H), H which are driven by any suitable, continually variable transmission such as the wellknown Reeves drive diagrammatically indicated at R in Fig. 2. By varying one or more of these factors, it will, obviously, be possible to deliver the sheet with a desired moisture content uniformly distributed throughout its area.

While reference has been had to treatment of sheet material, it will, of course, be understood that the same treatment may be applied to roll paper, the paper being fed between the felts l5 through either a sheet feeder or from a roll, and being taken therefrom by a layboy or a rewinder.

While the use of two felts and their accompanying equipment is preferable it will be obvious that in some instances a single felt may be employed. It is likewise possible to use both felts and supply only one thereof with said moisteners, suction box and etc.

Since the construction illustrated is, obviously, capable of considerable modification, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a conditioner of the class described. a pa r of press rolls, an endless felt for each roll and trained about the roll, means to apply liquid to each felt, a suction box operatively engaged by each felt after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, and means to feed material between said felts at the press rolls.

2. In a conditioner of the class described, a pair of press rolls, an endless felt for each roll and trained about the roll, means to apply liquid to each felt, a suction box operatively engaged by each felt after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, means to feed material between said felts at the press rolls, and means to regulate the temperature of the liquid applied to the felts.

3. In a conditioner of the class described, .a pair of press rolls, an endless felt for each roll and trained about the roll, means to apply liquid to each felt, a suction box operatively engaged by each felt after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, means to feed material between said felts at the press rolls, and means to regulate the suction applied by said suction boxes to the felts.

4. In a conditioner of the class described, a pair of press rolls, an endless felt for each roll and trained about the roll, means to apply liquid to each felt, a suction box operatively engaged by each felt after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, means to feed material between said felts at the press rolls, and mean to regulate the pressure of said press rolls.

5. In a conditioner of the class decribed, a pair of press rolls, an endless felt for each roll and trained about the roll, means to apply liquid to each felt, a suction box operatively engaged by each felt after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, means to feed material between said felts at the press rolls, and means to regulate the speed of said press rolls.

6. In a conditioner of the class described, a pair of press rolls, an endless felt for each roll and trained about the roll, means to apply liquid to each felt, a suction box operatively engaged by each felt after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, means to feed material between said felts'at the press rolls, means to regulate the temperature of the liquid applied to the felts, and means to regulate the degree of suction applied by said suction boxes.

7. In a conditioner of the class described, a pair of press rolls, an endless felt for each roll and trained about the roll, means to apply liquid to each felt, a suction box operatively engaged by each f-elt after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, means to feed material between said felts at the press rolls, mean to regulate the temperature of the liquid applied to said felts, and means to regulate the pressure of said press rolls.

8. In a conditioner of the class described, a pair of press rolls, an endless felt for each roll and trained about the roll, means to apply liquid to each felt, a suction box operatively engaged by each felt after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, means to feed material between said felts at the press rolls, means to regulate the temperature of the liquid applied to said felts, and means to regulate the speed of the press rolls.

9. In a conditioner of the class described, a

pair of press rolls, an endless felt for each roll and trained about the roll, means to apply liquid to each felt, a suction box operatively engaged by each felt after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, means to feed material between said felts at the press rolls, means to regulate the suction of said suction boxes, and means to control the speed of said press rolls.

11. In a conditioner of the class described, a pair of press rolls, an endless felt for each roll and trained about the roll, means to apply liquid to each felt, a suction roll engaged by each felt after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, means to feed material between said felts at the press rolls, and means to control the presure and speed of said press rolls.

12. In a conditioner of the class described, a pair of press rolls and anendless felt trained about one of said rolls and having associated equipment comprising means to apply liquid to the felt, a suction box operatively engaging after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls and means to feed material between said felt and the other of said press rolls.

13. In a conditioner of the class described, a pair of pressrolls and an endless felt trained about one of said rolls and having associated equipment comprising means to apply liquid to the felt, a suction box operatively engaging after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, means to fed 'material between said felt and the other of said press rolls, and means to control the pressing effect of said press rolls.

14. In a conditioner of the class described, a pair of press rolls and an endless felt trained about one of said rolls and having associated equipment comprising means to apply liquid to the felt, a suction box operatively engaging after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, means to feed material between said felt and the other of said press rolls, and means to control the moisture content of the felt as determined by the fluid applying means and suction box.

15. In a conditioner of the class described, a pair of press rolls, an endless felt for each roll and trained about the roll, at least one of said felts having associated equipment comprising means to apply liquid to the felt, a suction box operatively engaging the felt after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, and means to feed material between said felts at the felt rolls.

' 16. In a conditioner of the class described, a pair .of press rolls, an endless felt for each roll and trained about the roll, at least one of said felts having associated equipment comprising means to apply liquid to the felt, a suction box operatively engaging the felt after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, means to feed material between said felts at the felt rolls, and means to control the pressing effect of said press rolls.

17. In a conditioner of the class described, a pair of press rolls, an endless felt for each roll and trained about the roll, at least one of said felts having associated equipment comprising means to apply liquid to the felt, a suction box operatively engaging the belt after moistening thereof by said liquid to regulate the moisture content of the felt when it passes between the press rolls, means to feed material between said felts at the felt rolls, and means to control the moisture content of the felt as determined by the fluid applying means and suction box.

JACOB EDGE. 

